ON THE LIMITS OF NEAR-EQUILIBRIUM DNA GEL-ELECTROPHORETIC SEQUENCING

High field intensities deeply affect the migration mechanisms of DNA i n gels. The corresponding large electric forces lead to far-from-equil ibrium transport properties such as the limiting mobility, increased d iffusion and strong pulsed field responses. We present a theoretical s tudy of the conditions required to retain a near-equilibrium reptation transport behaviour. We then examine the possibility of increasing bo th the field intensity and the gel concentration to sequence large sin gle-stranded DNA molecules rapidly and efficiently. Finally, we discus s possible experimental approaches based on our theoretical prediction s.